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THOSE ATTRACTIVE MAGNETS - ElectroMagnetic Pulse

2012-05-16T00:00:00+01:00

THOSE ATTRACTIVE MAGNETS
ElectroMagnetic Pulse
Dark Entries Records
SYNTHWAVE / ELECTRO
MP3 Release

VARIOUS / 14 TRACKS - 14 tracks: Never Been To Ibiza

2012-05-15T16:21:22+01:00

VARIOUS / 14 TRACKS
14 tracks: Never Been To Ibiza
Boomkat / 14 Tracks
14 tracks compilations
MP3 Bundle

It's true; we've never visited the white isle. But if we did, we'd probably want our Balearic soundtrack to go a little something like this. It would push off with Jan Jelinek's exotic 'Irrelevant Sound Effect', and really get into the sunset mood with pool/barside drifters from Cos/Mes, Cage & Aviary and The Durutti Column before taking a slow Euro strut with the likes of Laid Back and Lauer. Once the drinks started to settle in, a bit of Cosmic Metal Mother and Boys From Patagonia would keep the vibe simmering and sensual, for some deep blue disco from Northerner, Matthew Dear and Chris & Cosey to summon the dark of night. Finally, Gag's awesome 'Flying Bolero', the bayside strafe of KWJAZ and Petar Dundov's lush Balkan trance lend a romantically rose-tinted glow to the rest of the night, or that might just the sambuca... Either way, it all sounds quite appealing, no?

SQUAREPUSHER - Ufabulum

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

SQUAREPUSHER
Ufabulum
Warp Records
ELECTRONIC
MP3 Release

Depending on your tolerance for advanced electronic boogie jazz, Squarepusher's last album 'd'Demonstrator' as Shobaleader One was either the epitome of cool or unlistenably indulgent. Returning two years later as plain old Squarepusher, Tom Jenkinson presents what might well be his most popular side since 'Ultravisitor', focussing on a "big room"- friendly fusion of almost Trance-y hooks and dance-able machine funk, what he terms "…pure electronic music… Something very melodic, very aggressive." It's almost as though he's been listening to Rustie's nostalgic hyper-theatrics and thought, "well, if that's what the kids want…" and thankfully the result is some of his most accessible, lucid, and (relatively) simple output to date. Taking opener '4001' as a statement of intent - lean, dry and body-compatible hyperfunk with escalating trance chords - the rest of the album follows suit with uniformly enjoyable moments like the ecstatic roll of 'Stadium Ice', and the joyful swing of 'Energy Wizard' or 'Drax 2's interdimensional wormhole groove. There are also classic moments of acid contortionism on 'Dark Steeling' and '303 Scopem Hard' and the deceptively simple beauty of 'Red In Blue' which will all remind you exactly why you loved this guy for so long.

SOUTH LONDON ORDNANCE - Sanctuary / Roofy

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

SOUTH LONDON ORDNANCE
Sanctuary / Roofy
2nd Drop Records
DUBSTEP / GRIME / FUNKY
MP3 Release

Arriving to acclaim from MAH and FACT, South London Ordnance debuts with his brilliant 'Sanctuary' and 'Roofy' cuts on 2nd Drop. Little is known about the fella and that's just how it is: his tunes do all the chat. A-side's 'Sanctuary' is a serious groove tool, body-syncing hi-hat strafes and ruffed-up snares with the deftness of a Beneath riddim, but placing more emphasis on wide-assed, 'floor-consuming bass and dark-end-of-the-warehouse reverbs for those who prefer to dance in the shadows. B-side's 'Roofy' is slower, murkier: voices are half-heard from the pill-eyed patina smudge of resonant drums, Motor City strings and offset bass nudges built with an instinctive grasp of what meks 'em swiiiiing. Smashing work, lad. Whoever you are.

CHRONIK - Man In The Boot

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

CHRONIK
Man In The Boot
NO HATS NO HOODS
DUBSTEP / GRIME / FUNKY
MP3 Release

The scariest man in Grime, Slew Dem's Chronik slays it on a hype riddim from Skitz Beatz. It's a simple as that, really. Ruff Sqwad affiliates Trim and Roachee step up on the remix. But seriously: it's all about Chronik. Big TIP.

DBRIDGE - Passing Encounter / Scarlett

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

DBRIDGE
Passing Encounter / Scarlett
Convex Industries
TECHNO / HOUSE
MP3 Release

Deeper, dapper Bass and Techno swingers from the one like DBridge. 'Passing Encounter' makes sharp moves on a Bass-heavy and Broken House flex enveloped by deep blue chords and pads, assuredly arranged with the suave attitude you expect from DBridge. On the other hand, 'Scarlett' goes for the rave jugular with insurgent Reese bass on a burning Breakbeat Techno swivel with devastating potential. BIG tunes.

JEFRE CANTU-LEDESMA - Visiting This World

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

JEFRE CANTU-LEDESMA
Visiting This World
Devotion
DARK AMBIENT / DRONE / METAL
MP3 Release

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma’s explorations into gritty dream pop are turned up to eleven here on this re-issue of the extremely limited EN/OF album ‘Visiting This World’. The gorgeous sun-bleached romanticism that made ‘Love is a Stream’ so darned addictive is still present, but is jammed into a dense haze of brick-wall noise you would probably more readily associate with the Mego label. This works wonders for Jefre’s sound, and proves he is an artist who refuses to stay still for a second – the hints at classic My Bloody Valentine and Ride are hiding somewhere but for those of us who aren’t afraid to push the dials there’s a bit more grit too. The most obvious reference point might be the more gloriously transcendent moments of Fennesz, but Jefre is an artist who is decidedly working at his own pace, and in his own world. Jefre manages somehow to make even the most cacophonous blasts engaging, and drapes them with a lightness of touch that is rarely found in most music. There’s a lot of self-labelled ‘ambient’ music at the moment, and what sets ‘Visiting This World’ apart from the sea of lackluster records is simply heart – take a listen and you’ll get what we mean. Totally essential album.

GOLD PANDA - Mountain / Financial District

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

GOLD PANDA
Mountain / Financial District
Ghostly International
ELECTRONIC
MP3 Release

Natty new single from Gold Panda on Ghostly, his first proper release since last year's sound DJ-Kicks set. 'Mountain' is full of the woozy, homespun charm that has earned the Londoner his cult following to date, with folksy woodwind and end-of-the-rainbow arpeggios rubbing up against slouchy tribal percussion and 808 kickdrum bounce. On 'Financial District', bleary-eyed synth tones and vocal snippets cluster around a lo-fi steppers rhythm - imagine Broadcast or BoC mixed by Lone and you're in the zone.

BEACH HOUSE - Bloom

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

BEACH HOUSE
Bloom
Bella Union
INDIE / ROCK / ALTERNATIVE
MP3 Release

Beach House’s gauzy pop has always had a special place in our hearts, and they’re one of the few recent bands of their ilk who have successfully managed the difficult transition from underground lo-fi to something a little more, well, populist. Thankfully their last album ‘Teen Dream’ was their best yet, and showed that it wasn’t the grit and tape hiss that made their music so great, it was the duo’s careful, delicate grasp of songwriting. Now Victoria Legrande and Alex Scally have returned with a follow-up, and unsurprisingly it doesn’t disappoint. Continuing the high fidelity shakes of its predecessor, ‘Bloom’ is produced by indie hitmaker Chris Coady who brings a density and sparkle to their signature warbling lullabies. That’s not to say that ‘Bloom’ has lost the homespun beauty that made us fall in love with the duo in the first place, far from it in fact; the haunting cheap synthesizers and vintage drum machine loops of stand-out track ‘Lazuli’ are a good reminder of their early sound, albeit in a much more refined environment. Beach House have always made pop music, and it’s hardly a dilution of their sound having the production handled by someone who knows what they’re doing – so while purists might want to moan, the rest of us can sink into some of the most gorgeous, lilting weird-pop you could possibly hope to hear in 2012. S

VARIOUS PRODUCTION - Moving on / Bolts

2012-05-14T04:00:00+01:00

VARIOUS PRODUCTION
Moving on / Bolts
VARIOUS PRODUCTION
DUBSTEP / GRIME / FUNKY
MP3 Release

Proving they’re still alive and still on point, here’s another winner from the mysterious Various camp, showing their darker, more soulful side with the silky vocal cut ‘Moving On’. Somehow this reminds us of early Leila, all woozy, slightly f*cked up and sort of delicious in its reimagining of digital soul music. For those who miss the dancefloor-heavy end of the label though there’s ‘Bolts’ on the flip that shows a rare Drexiyan electro bent and a new twist in their evolving catalogue.